Thank you to Alex Halberstadt for his thorough, informative, and enthusiastic review of the Fezz Audio Silver Luna Prestige integrated amplifier. I enjoyed listening to George Jones, who I was not familiar with, on YouTube while reading the review.
Fezz Audio incorporates many design features that make owning a tube amplifier a great choice, especially in these times of resurging interest in analog, vintage audio, and high-sensitivity loudspeakers.
Fezz amplifiers are noted for their European build quality as well as their excellent low-noise performance, which results partly from the high-quality transformers that the company builds in-house. We have verified that the Silver Luna Prestige is a wonderful partner with the 105dB Klipsch La Scala, and we confidently recommend this combination.
We are concerned about JA's observation that a broken circuit-board trace may have had an impact on the measurements. We will investigate, and we would look forward to a follow-up on this highly unusual occurrence.
Fezz Audio uses a low level of negative feedback. This can result is a slighter lower signal-to-noise ratio, but Fezz Audio feels that the tradeoff results in the best overall sound quality in their designs. We are delighted that Mr. Halberstadt confirmed this design decision, describing the amp as a "bargain" that was "wholeheartedly recommended."—Jay Rein, President Bluebird Music Limited
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COMMENTS
... $2,995 or $3,495?
At least one dealer has the price shown as $3,495.
https://almaaudio.com/products/fezz-audio-silver-luna-prestige
At $3,495, how does it compare to the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III?
https://www.hifichoice.com/content/rogue-audio-cronus-magnum-iii
https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/rogue-audio-cronus-magnum-iii-integrated-amplifier/
the Rogue is a diff tube, more power different sonic sensibility. More appropriate would be an EL34 comparison with a PrimaLuna or a Unison Triode 25. An EL34 designed amp is a specific thing.
The unit on the site is the "Evo" models, which have substantially better good looks than the standard unit that was reviewed.
Is that distinction coming back into the common audiophile vernacular?
Are there really audiophiles who listen along the lines of those constraints?
... whether or not the amplifier will be "capable at extracting meaning and emotion" from my collection of Bert Kaempfert LPs.
JA1 seems too busy finding either component failures in tested gear, or poor performance (why he tests). I know this is not all the time, but too frequent IMHO.
Should happen before the review to catch broken gear. Won't catch shipping damage to the reviewer, though. If this thing was malfunctioning like this during the review....
I remember my first NAD system of a 1020A preamp and a 2155 amp and there was about a 2db imbalance in the channels, but it could have been the amp or preamp as all there was is a balance control on the preamp that I need to leave at 1-2 O'clock. The amp had no controls. I should have taken the pair back to the dealer for a check over.
I would think a reviewer would easily hear a channel imbalance but if one is a fan to tube gear, the colorations might seem "normal" to many.
I know now that at nearly 76, I would have a hard time hearing the effects of low, moderate, or high jitter from a DAC or CD player.
Thank you for mentioning George Jones in an audio review. I think Merle Haggard was the greatest singer but George Jones was definitely up there and his instrument was untouchable. The Grand Tour make a stone cry!
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